Professional development and experiential learning in the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
Julianna Schroeger, MEM candidate, Nicholas School of the Environment
As someone who entered graduate school after six years of being in the working world, the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic has come as a great relief and change of pace. My professional background in small advocacy non-profits made me accustomed to working collaboratively on a mission-driven team. My first semester back to school was quite jarring, as many of my introductory classes were largely based on tests and individual projects. I had come back to school because of my love for the natural world and my passion for advocating for it, but the technicality of my classes often shrouded the bigger picture of why we are all here: for the betterment of our planet and the living things that depend upon it.
As I tried to wrap my head around concepts such as general linear models and regressions — pertinent to my GIS classes — I found myself searching for meaning in all of it, craving the opportunity to see how the technical skills I was building might be applied to a real world scenario. The Environmental Law and Policy Clinic has given me that opportunity. It has rounded out my Duke education with tangible, applied experience and has given me an opportunity to show — to myself and others — what I am capable of. I have been able to put the skills I’ve acquired through my GIS classes to good use in collecting data and creating maps that will serve as advocacy materials for my client. Additionally, I have developed a much deeper understanding of the statutes I’ve learned about in my law classes, how they are reinforced through the judiciary, and the need to ensure they remain robust. I am not only reading about the National Environmental Policy Act in legal texts, but actually experiencing how it functions on the ground.
The Environmental Law and Policy Clinic is strategically designed to foster interdisciplinary peer learning that draws upon each team member’s area of expertise. Additionally, the small class sizes and case teams offer ample room for feedback and building rapport with professors and students from other programs. The clinic experience has prepared me for diverse job options in the future. Through its collaborative process, I have become familiar with concepts and language that will prepare me for work in environmental policy. By producing tangible products for a client, I will be better equipped to apply for opportunities in consulting. All in all, the clinic has provided professional development and experiential learning that is not always offered through standard lecture-based courses. I cannot recommend the clinic enough, and I am grateful to be a part of it this semester.
